by F. Scott Faulkner
September 9, 2026 – Santa Barbara County, CA
Alex Karim Henin, 19, of Goleta, was initially arrested on an arson charge, released and now rearrested.
On the evening of May 19, 2026, a vegetation fire sparked by illegal fireworks near the
western edge of Goleta and prompted evacuation warnings for nearby residents, brought
Santa Barbara County Fire Department units racing to the scene. The fire burned a full
acre of grasslands before it was brought under control.
According to Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer
Raquel Zick, while the conflagration was being suppressed, deputies stopped a vehicle
reportedly seen leaving the area where the fire began.
The ensuing probable cause search of that vehicle, driven by Hen led to the discovery of illegal fireworks, along with evidence indicating that additional fireworks had previously been removed from the packaging.
Deputies arrested Henin at the scene while several juveniles who had been present at the scene were released to their parents.
For his part, Henin was transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was booked on suspicion of arson. He was soon released on bail, with no charges filed.
In the following months, however, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office
pursued an investigation that led to his rearrest on September 8 and felony charges of
arson of a structure or forest with a special aggravating charge of violent conduct that
indicates a serious danger to society.
